Chapter 480 Blood and Fire Three Kingdoms Kill (Darkness Before Dawn)
After Hu Guang and others left the battlefield, they did not stop at all. They took off the armor and stomach, threw away the horses and horses, and only brought with them the iron mace, the horizontal knife and the long and short tip bows.
For a person who licks blood from the edge of a knife, throwing away the most important stomach and horse stems worth tens of thousands of dollars can be described as burning the boat.
The reason why he made such a decisive decision was that Hu Guang had already sensed considerable danger.
You must know that before this, Hu Guang decided to continue to "lurk" in the Xuzhou and Wuning armies to prepare for Zhang Zhao's entry into the Central Plains.
Because at that time, Hu Guang believed that no matter how bad the Jin state was, it could still resist the Khitans.
But this time, Hu Guang suddenly discovered that in addition to the mood of underestimating the enemy and complaining throughout the army, many people could be said to have greatly deteriorated and no longer had the courage they once had.
His father Hu Cile and clan brother Hu Tai are the best examples.
Fertile fields, mansions and beautiful concubines have eroded their will. Those fearless warriors in the past can no longer fight without distraction.
On the other hand, the Khitans were defeated twice in three years. Especially in the battle of Bai Tuanwei Village in Yangcheng, the Khitans suffered heavy losses in terms of manpower and equipment, but they were able to recover quickly and followed orders to go south.
This shows that the Khitan Emperor Yelu Deguang's control over the Khitan Kingdom was very firm.
If it were the Jin State, such a defeat would cause the entire country to collapse. However, not only did the Khitan not collapse, they could continue to move south.
Comparing the two, they are already qualitatively different. Even if Jin can resist once, it will definitely not be able to escape the next time.
Moreover, the Jin army has frequently engaged in random attacks, and there is a big risk of the entire army being annihilated.
Therefore, Hu Guang felt that instead of continuing to lurk in an attempt to capture a city or a place for Zhang Zhao, it was better to quickly tell Zhang Zhao the news that the Jin army was at great risk of failure.
And just when Hu Guang was heading west, Hu Ci Le lost five or six hundred cavalry, and fought with his life to escape from the encirclement of Xiao Han and Yelu Wuzhi, the Jin army on the east bank of the Hutuo River was completely trapped in the encirclement.
It turns out that although the two armies faced each other across the Hutuo River, the Hutuo River itself was not very wide.
The Khitan cavalry stretched for ten miles up and down the Hutuo River and had continuous camps. They took advantage of the cavalry to continuously cross the Hutuo River and basically cleared the area around the Hou Jin camp.
Du Chongwei was also very upset, because if the three thousand cavalry under Hu Cile's command could not move away, the Khitan people would not dare to clear the area around the Jin army's camp in such a grand manner.
Now, Liang Hanzhang lost 2,000 cavalry, Fu Yanqing, Gao Xingzhou took away 3,000 cavalry, and Hu Cile took away another 3,000 cavalry.
Among the 70,000 Jin troops, there were only less than 6,000 cavalry that could be mobilized, and this was even counting the cavalry accompanied by the commanders of each section.
In December, the defeated army of Huzile fled back to the Jin army camp. Until this time, the Jin army generals who had been sitting firmly in the camp, dreaming of another battle at Bai Tuanwei Village in Yangcheng, became a little nervous.
Got up.
Because the Khitans only surrounded but did not attack, after clearing the surrounding area, they trapped the Jin army and did not launch an attack, which prevented the Jin army from utilizing its advantages in infantry warfare and surprise attacks.
Now that the rescue of Luancheng has failed, the retreat and food routes have been blocked, and the situation has become extremely critical.
Du Chongwei was terrified. Among the whole army, the one he could trust the most was Li Shouzhen. The two of them often complained against the imperial court together and had a common language.
However, in the face of this situation, although Li Shouzhen was known to be brave and resourceful, he had no good solution.
The Khitan people learned a lesson this time and surrounded them without attacking them. It was obvious that they wanted to kill them.
The Jin army numbered 70,000, and although the Hutuo River was shallow, it was not easy to cross. Therefore, even if the threat of the Khitan cavalry was not considered, it was unlikely that they would take the initiative to attack.
After thinking hard for a while, the two men did not discuss their military situation, but their resentment towards the later Jin Dynasty was aroused.
Du Chongwei held a corner of wine and looked at Li Shouzhen with drunken eyes. The timidity he felt during the expedition came back to his mind.
"This expedition was originally for the two states of Ying and Mo. The emperor is determined to be greedy for Yan Yun. If it was only for the two states of Ying and Mo, if things were not harmonious, we would have retreated to Bei, Ping and other states. How could it be possible?
Can we be surrounded here?"
It's not true to say that it doesn't make sense, it's really just a little bit.
Without Shi Chonggui's ardent expectations, Du Chongwei might have gone to Beizhou and Xiangzhou, and Yelu Deguang might not have been able to surround him.
When it came to criticizing Shi Chonggui, Li Shouzhen's spirit suddenly came to light. Although he had been pretending to be loyal and brave to the country in front of Shi Chonggui, he was actually very resentful in his heart.
Because Shi Chonggui's promised military governor in Hezhong was not arranged in place.
This was a huge blow to Li Shouzhen, because behind Li Shouzhen, he was not alone, but a group of generals and soldiers who followed him to earn a living.
Without getting the position of Commander-in-Chief of the First Town, Li Shouzhen simply could not afford to support so many soldiers. Now only 30% of them have been scattered, and this was the result of him spending all his money to support them.
Shi Chonggui had cut off his future path and his financial path, so one can imagine the resentment in his heart. Therefore, Li Shouzhen's rant was not subtle at all.
"The emperor's favor and trust in actors are far better than those in the past. The ability of the temple is not enough to control his subordinates, so he died to build a sect. Now everyone's talents and virtues are not as good as those in the temple. This is really the way to die."
When Du Chongwei heard this, he became even more angry because Li Shouzhen didn't get the Hezhong Jiedu envoy, and Du Chongwei didn't get Yedu to stay, and he was forced to buy 100,000 stones of corn by Wang Qinzuo, the eunuch sent by Shi Chonggui.
"I always knew that he was an incompetent person. In the past, he was just a halberd holder in front of the late emperor. How could he ever treat him as a person? If it weren't for Wang Twenty-san, a thief who killed the late emperor's sons, how could he succeed to the throne?"
As he said that, Du Chongwei let out a long sigh, "After all, he is not the late emperor's biological son, nor is he his nephew, so he won't be close to us and other people from Daibei!"
When the words came to this, Li Shouzhen's heart began to beat wildly. He took advantage of his drunkenness and pretended to say to Du Chongwei.
"In the Ming Temple of the former Tang Dynasty, my predecessors in the Jin Dynasty were all born as military commanders. Therefore, they knew the hardships of our generation of warriors, so they were able to stay away from the enemy and entrust us with the country's entrustment.
Even the last emperor, although he was very anxious to persecute the former emperor and the Duke, he did not treat the others badly.
It's not like the current emperor of Daning Palace. Who is the pillar of the country? In my opinion, someone with a background like Du Gong is suitable to be the emperor."
Du Chongwei's eyelids twitched, and his heart also jumped. He actually thought about whether it was possible to ascend to the throne of God with the help of Khitan power.
Otherwise, during the last battle at Bai Tuanwei Village, he should have led the army to pursue the enemy, instead of just stopping at the wet water.
However, I, Marquis Du Wen, am quite capable. He knows that with his ability, there are very few people who obey him and are willing to listen to him. If there is an uprising, there are not many helpers who are good at fighting.
Moreover, he plundered various places, and most of them went into his own pocket. There were not many good fighting soldiers around him. If he really wanted to force a rebellion, he might not be as good as An Chongrong and An Congjin.
However, the Li Shouzhen in front of him is a very good opponent. He is brave and good at fighting. He also has 200 soldiers under his command. Moreover, he is also very popular among the generals and can be connected in private.
Of course, now is not the time. Although the relationship between the two is relatively close, they are not close enough to discuss these matters directly, and the situation is not yet so critical that it is urgent to seek refuge with the Khitans.
Du Chongwei then laughed and covered up the matter due to his drunkenness, but his inner heartbeat made Li Shouzhen see clearly.
In mid-December, after Hu Ci returned to camp, the Jin army generals began to raise cavalry and attacked the Khitan cavalry around the camp. They won several small battles and finally made the Khitan cavalry no longer dare to approach the camp.
, it’s just that Luancheng was pinched and the military rations were almost running out.
At the end of December, the Jin army only had enough rations for two decades, and the surrounding forests were cut down, making it increasingly difficult to obtain firewood. The sergeants camped outside in the winter and suffered from wind and snow, and the morale of the army began to fluctuate.
Du Chongwei summoned the generals to discuss matters. Huangfu Yu suggested to withdraw south, clear the way with elite troops, recapture Luan City, and then retreat to Beizhou, and even to Yedu and Chanzhou. Just like the last battle of Qicheng, he fought with the Khitans on the Yellow River.
Confrontation on the shore.
In this way, the Jin army's logistical disadvantage of being easily pinched would be gone. Instead, the Khitans would be able to extend their front line and perhaps retreat from the enemy.
It can be said that Huangfu Yu's suggestion was the only way out for the Jin army at this time. Although it would inevitably be pursued by the Khitans and would probably lose at least tens of thousands of people, it could avoid the entire army being annihilated.
But all the generals disagreed with this, because they felt that it had not reached this level yet, and even then, all the generals would have cavalry with them, which would be enough to break out and escape, so they would not be in a hurry now.
Du Chongwei disagreed even more. He had thoughts of seeking refuge with the Khitan. Of course, the surrender of 70,000 troops would be more favored by Yelv Deguang, and he could become emperor even if he had no choice but to do so.
If he fled south to Yedu and Beizhou, and his battle was so unfavorable that Shi Chonggui dismissed him from his official position with an edict and replaced him with An Shenqi or Fu Yanqing, it would be over.
And if you are unwilling to retreat south, there is only one way to go, which is to lead the troops westward and break through the blockade of the Hutuo River by the Khitans. You don't expect to be able to defeat the Khitan camp, as long as you can escape from the blockade.
Because Hengzhou behind the Khitans is still in the hands of the Jin army, as long as the blockade is broken through, they can continue to defend Hengzhou and Zhaozhou.
As soon as this policy came out, more and more people agreed with it. Wang Qing, the governor of Xizhou, said: "Now I will go five miles to Changshan Mountain and stay here. If the camp is empty and the food is exhausted, what will happen?"
Please use two thousand infantrymen as the vanguard to seize the bridge and open the way. Duke Ke will lead all the troops to follow. If we enter Changshan, we will be relieved."
At this time, on the Hutuo River, although the Zhongdu Bridge was burned by the Khitans, the south and north crossing bridges were only partially destroyed. If elites could cross the river, it would still be possible to repair them.
What Wang Qing requested was that two thousand soldiers should cross the river in the early morning, occupy the other side of the river, repair one of the two crossing bridges, and then the whole army would cross the river, defeat the Khitan army, and enter Hengzhou City.
Du Chongwei nodded in agreement, and ordered Wang Qing to gather 2,000 warriors, and then ordered Dengzhou Weisheng Army Jiedu Envoy Song Yanyun to lead 3,000 people to accompany him. After the crossing bridge was recovered, the entire army would attack the Khitans.
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Just when the Jin army moved north, Zhang Zhao's deployment was basically in place.
At the end of August, Zhang Zhao personally led the left and right Yulin Guards, together with generals such as Murong Nobunaga, Li Cunhui, Zhe Deyuan, Murong Yanzhao, Fan Shun, Ma Shacai, etc., from Liangzhou to Yuanzhou. Zhao Kuangyin and Wang Shenqi For brothers, they also accompany Zhang Zhao.
As soon as Zhang Zhao arrived in Yuanzhou, Gao Yunquan, the envoy of the Zhangwu Army in Yanzhou of the Jin State, and Wu Yinger, the governor of Weizhou, rushed to Yuanzhou in person to pay homage.
Gao Yunquan has been getting closer to Zhang Zhao in recent years, and he has seen the power of Liang Kingdom.
Moreover, his position as the military governor of Yanzhou Zhangwu was secured by Zhang Zhao's reputation.
Because although the Gao family has been a martial artist for generations, by Gao Yunquan's generation, the eldest brother was moved to Tokyo, and his family had been reduced to a minor official.
Without the support of the troops from Datong Town and Feng'an Town, which Zhang Zhao ordered Xia Sui Dao to support, how could Gao Yunquan be able to convince the crowd.
Not to mention Wu Ying'er, the governor of Weizhou, who was Zhang Zhao's thorn in Weizhou. His younger brother Wu Guoer was the commander in Liang State, and he always regarded himself as a minister of Liang State.
At this point, the only obstacles for Zhang Zhao to enter Guanzhong are Li Dejun, the military commander of the Zhangyi Army in Jingyuan, Liu Jingyan, the military commander of the Nanjing Nanjun Army, Guo Jin, the military commander of the Baoda Army in Yanzhou, and Jinchang Army of Jingzhao Prefecture. Jiedushi An Yanwei and Huazhou Zhenguojun Jiedushi Zhao Ying were several obstacles.
Zhang Zhao stretched out his hand on the map and marked the Jiedushi envoys one by one. At this moment, Zhao Kuangyin came in.
"King of Heaven, Liu Jingyan, the envoy of the Nanjing Army, has sent his son over."
Zhang Zhao nodded, not surprised, because the area under the jurisdiction of the Jiedu Envoy of the Jingnan Army in Pizhou was completely undefended for Zhang Zhao.
When Pizhou and Ningzhou were massacred by the rebel army, it was he who collected the corpses of the victims in these two states.
The people who came down from the mountain to occupy the prosperous land in the two prefectures of Yingning were also given land and house deeds by Zhang Zhao.
Later, he ordered the Jinyi envoys to establish a powerful Wubao united army in these two states, relying on these people.
Therefore, in fact, Liu Jingyan, as the military commander of the Nanjing Rebellion Army, could only control nearly half of the territory.
Moreover, he couldn't deal with Zhang Zhao, so he simply decided to take over the rest of the wealthy land with his tooth soldiers.
This resulted in the formation of two sharply contrasting forces in the two states of Xing and Ning. Although Liu Jingyan's Ya soldiers were stronger than the united soldiers formed by the Jinyi envoys, they were greatly inferior to the Liang army.
Not to mention the Liang Army, even Gao Yunquan's Yanzhou Zhangwu Army could not be dealt with by him. He had always been very frustrated.
Generals Zhao Kuangyin and Wang Shenqi were guarding Zhang Zhao, but Zhang Zhao did not give Liu Jingyan's son a good look, "In the past, I summoned your father several times, but turned a deaf ear. Now, how fast can you come?"
At that time, Liu Jingyan still had expectations for the Later Jin Dynasty, so naturally he would not obey Zhang Zhao's call. But this time, if Liu Jingyan had not been ill and unable to move forward, he would definitely come on his own.
"Your Majesty, you used to be far away in the west, how far away! Now you are in Yuanzhou, how prosperous it is! How dare we, little men, not come?" Liu Jingyan's son knelt on the ground and replied tremblingly.
"He is very alert and adaptable." Zhang Zhao was originally planning to give him a blow, but everyone had already lowered their heads like this, so it was not easy to attack him.
"My father has prepared 80,000 stones of grain and grass to offer to the King of Heaven to provide for the army. If the King of Heaven wants to go to Yaozhou, I, the Jingnan Army, are willing to be the vanguard."
Eighty thousand stones of food and grass is not bad, even the Liu family has to accumulate it for many years. Liu Jingyan doesn't have many bad deeds anyway, but he has become a little greedy for money as he gets older, so he can be let go.
"What classics do you have? What achievements have you made?"
Zhang Zhao's question was a bit confusing, but Liu Jingyan's son knew what Zhang Zhao meant.
Although Zhang Zhao will let the Liu family go, it seems he is not willing to let the Liu family continue to occupy the position of the military commander of the Nanning Army.
But they were seeking refuge. If Zhang Zhao did this, he would appear to be too mean, so he asked him this question.
King Zhang Tian wanted to find one of the Liu family members to serve in the Liang Kingdom, so as to show that he did not treat the Liu family harshly.
"My servant Liu Tongyuan has a brief knowledge of Mao's poetry and etiquette, and he also dabbles in Mingshu."
Mao's Poems is not a collection of Li Desheng's poems, but poems compiled and annotated by Mao Chang of Zhao State and Mao Heng of Lu State during the late War Period. The Book of Songs in later generations was actually compiled and annotated by Mao Chang and Mao Heng before it could be called the Book of Songs.
In the Tang Dynasty, "Book of Rites" and "Spring and Autumn Annals" were called the Great Classics, "Mao Shi", "Zhou Rites" and "Rituals" were called the Zhong Jing, "Book of Changes", "Shang Shu", "Spring and Autumn Gongyang Zhuan" and "Chun Qiu Gong Yang Zhuan"
The Chun Qiu Gu Liang Zhuan is called the Classic of Filial Piety.
According to the standards of the Ming Jing in the Tang Dynasty, those who have mastered the Zhong Jing and two other classics can be called those who have mastered the three classics. In the Tang Dynasty, such people were more than enough to be admitted to the Ming Jing Ke.
Although Ming Jing Ke was not very difficult in the Tang Dynasty, at this time in the Five Dynasties, there were still people who had mastered this subject and were considered quite knowledgeable. Moreover, this person also dabbled in Ming Su, which was what Zhang Zhao liked.
It seems like some of them are doing what they want.
"Have you ever learned martial arts?" Zhang Zhao's brain was running rapidly. This might be a good opportunity to completely master the Liu family.
Liu Tongyuan's eyes lit up and he stretched out his hand. There were not many calluses for holding a gun or a knife in the tiger's mouth, and there were not many finger marks on his fingers.
"The servant was born to love studying, but he couldn't bear the hardship of practicing martial arts, so he has been serving my father by his side."
The words he said were quite cryptic, meaning that he had been doing a clerical job beside his father Liu Jingyan. For a military family like the Liu family, he was naturally not favored.
Moreover, he is not proficient in martial arts, so it is even more suitable for Zhang Zhao who currently does not want to stay and control the army.
"My father has already passed his rare years. Are you willing to return to your hometown and enjoy the happiness of your family?"
"When I return home, I will definitely urge my father. I hope that by visiting his old man, I can understand the love and care of the King of Heaven."
Zhang Zhao nodded with satisfaction, "Since you are proficient in the three classics and are familiar with calculations, you can enter Qionglin Academy as a bachelor.
After your father returns to his hometown, he can give it to the Taiwei and order Gao Jiejun to build a mansion in Yanzhou. All brothers and sisters who are talented will use it."
When Liu Tongyuan heard this, he was extremely surprised and bowed down. He was indeed not taken seriously by his father Liu Jingyan, and he knew that Zhang Zhao treated civil servants leniently.
So I asked for the opportunity to come here to Wonju, just to sell my family at a good price so that I could go back and feel proud.
He had already found out the status of the bachelor of Qionglin Academy in Liang Kingdom.
In Liangzhou, except for a small number of Yuan Cong sect from Anxi and a small number of close relatives of Zhang Zhao, Liang's civil and military personnel, especially civil servants, after being examined in the imperial examination or introduced to Zhang Zhao, those with talent often first became bachelors of Qionglin Academy.
After Zhang Zhao's training, assessment and experience, he often stayed in the central government and became the head of various ministries, and was sent out to start as a state governor. These are the benefits that only the future important ministers of the Liang Kingdom will have.
This is actually what Zhang Zhao imitated based on the operations of Shujishi in the Hanlin Academy of the Ming Dynasty in later generations.
It's just that the Ming Dynasty wanted to make the future Prime Minister more familiar with the work of the central government, while Zhang Zhao wanted all the middle and high-level officials in the central government to come from his side.